Guest: Emma Bradshaw of the Booksellers Association
Q: The Booksellers Association is a membership organisation for all booksellers in the UK & Ireland, representing over 95% of bookshops. Can you tell us a bit about the work the BA does?
The Booksellers Association works to support, champion and celebrate bookshops. We’re constantly communicating with the trade, with government and with consumers on our members’ behalf. We also work closely with counterpart associations around the world and other retail associations in the UK and Ireland. Our membership ranges from supermarkets such as ASDA, to well established high street retailers such as Waterstones and WHSmith, to independent bookshops like Rossiter Books and Sevenoaks Bookshop. I head up Books Are My Bag, which is our strand of consumer-facing campaigns, including Independent Bookshop Week, Indie Book of the Month, Bookshop Day and the Books Are My Bag Readers Awards. Follow us on social media for all the latest news. You’ll find us @booksaremybag
Q: Have you always worked in the book industry? Do you write yourself, or have you always been a great reader?
I have indeed! I worked as a bookseller with Ottakar’s for three very happy years before becoming a publicist, firstly with HarperCollins and then with Bloomsbury. I joined the Booksellers Association in July 2018 and I’ve really enjoyed combining my bookselling and publicist experience in one role.
I’m not a writer, and I actually remember my GCSE English teacher telling me I didn’t read enough to study English at A-Level! My love of reading may have dwindled a little in my teens, but my love of books did not. I studied illustration at university, with an emphasis on children’s book illustration. By the time I reached my 20s I had very much become a voracious reader.
Q: What is the best way for writers (and readers!), to find out about independent bookstores in their area?
You can find your nearest bookshop via the Booksellers Association’s Bookshop Search. You may also want to take a look at Bookshop.org when it launches in the UK in early November.
Q: How can writers support and work with their local booksellers over the coming months?
It would be wonderful if writers could encourage their social media followers to do their book shopping with bookshops (#ChooseBookshops). Amazon does not need help to sell more books at the moment. High street bookshops do. Please link directly to your favourite bookshop, or link to the Booksellers Association’s Bookshop Search, or link to Bookshop.org, or link to a whole bunch of different bookshops. Let’s show our high streets some love and support in these difficult times.
Q: Do you think we have found new ways to work with stores and readers over the last year - what do you think has worked particularly well?
We absolutely have. It makes me so proud to see how our members have rallied over the last seven months. They are the most resilient, creative, caring people. They have found ways to get their communities together, to keep getting books into the hands of readers, and to connect readers and writers at a time when it seemed impossible.
Q: With Christmas on the horizon, I understand the BA organises National Book Tokens. I clearly remember the excitement of getting these at Christmas time - are they still popular?
National Book Tokens is one of the branches of the Booksellers Association and is very much still thriving. If you are looking for gift ideas this Christmas they would be a great option, or you can talk to your local bookseller for gift recommendations.
Q: What promotions and events has the BA planned for the next few months - is there a way for writers to help out and get involved?
Voting has just closed for the Books Are My Bag Readers Awards, sponsored by National Book Tokens. We’ll be streaming a virtual award ceremony from 5:30pm on Tuesday 10th November via @booksaremybag on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. We’d love for you to spread the word and tune in on the night! The hashtag is #BAMBReadersAwards. And if you’re looking for some ideas for what to read next I highly recommend the shortlist, which was curated by booksellers!
Q: If we are unable to get to a physical bookshop right now, what's the best way to order books from your local shops online?
Most bookshops are able to take orders either over the phone, by email, or social media, or via their website. Different parts of the country are living under different restrictions at the moment, so I would recommend you sign up to your local bookshop’s newsletter so that you are up to date with the level of service they are able to provide.
Q: What books have you enjoyed most this year - and is there one you are hoping to get for Christmas?
Oh, I could write a whole essay just answering this one question, but I shall try and restrain myself. The Offing by Benjamin Myers and Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo were both shortlisted for the Indie Book Awards in the summer and I adored them. I read The Offing during lockdown and it was so wonderful to escape into the big open spaces in that book while I was stuck in my little suburban flat. I was there in the countryside, by the sea, eating those amazing meals with Robert and Dulcie. I’m in awe of Bernardine. She’s incredible. I’ve also just finished one of her other books, Mr Loverman. She can do no wrong!
I’m a big fan of Agatha Christie and I’m hoping Father Christmas might help me complete my collection of the stunning Art Deco style hardbacks HarperCollins have published. They are beautiful!
Emma Bradshaw began her career as a bookseller at Ottakar's in Bromley before moving to the publicity department at HarperCollins Children's Books. She joined the Bloomsbury team in 2007, where she worked for almost 11 years as Senior Publicity Manager. In July 2018 Emma took up her current role as Head of Campaigns at the Booksellers Association. Emma and her team look after all of the Books Are My Bag consumer-facing campaigns, including Bookshop Day, the Books Are My Bag Readers Awards, Indie Book of the Month, the Indie Book Awards and Independent Bookshop Week.
Twitter: @EmmaCBradshaw
Emma's currently reading The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead.
